Hosting a Football Party

I kind of stopped doing football recipes mainly because our weekends have gotten so busy and I just haven't had the time to get creative with game day eats. And I completely forgot to tell you about a little football gathering at our place a few weeks ago. My parents and Kimberly & Nick came over to watch the Giants and so Shaun and I got to work on delicious spread. I wanted to keep things light and easy but lunch appropriate since the game started at 1 pm.

If you're looking for an easy menu for any gathering, I highly recommend this one! It was fun making new-to-my-family dishes and everything turned out yummily.

First up, I made my Greek layer dip, which remains one of my favorite dips ever.

I also made my favorite chicken salad veronique. It's perfect on toast, on chips or simply eaten straight off of a fork. Halved green grapes and fresh tarragon really make this a special, sophisticated treat.

To keep things on the light side, I also wanted to include a whole lot of veggies for dipping and snacking. I made a little crudite with spinach dip and my favorite veggie dippers.

Shaun made a rich and creamy hummus, topped with kalamata olives. Absolutely delicious!

To add a little warmth to the table, I cooked up a little pepperjack & pimento dip, one of our favorites this football season.

And to make another, heartier dish, Shaun put together marinated beef skewers! My mom brought the most delicious peanut sauce, which was the perfect dipper for the skewers. We also paired them with hoisin sauce for an additional flavor twist.

My mom brought a big green salad with grilled chicken and homemade balsamic dressing which was the perfect green addition to the spread.

For dessert? We dined on Kimberly's pumpkin & raspberry turnovers and my chocolate caramel apple bars!

And that, my friends, is what I call a perfect football Sunday.

Question of the Day:

Do you have a go-to party food that you always make? Usually my go to is pizza dip, but I tried to branch out a bit for this party!

9 Things For Your Labor Day Party

I have a love/hate relationship with Labor Day. It traditionally signifies the end of summer and the beginning of autumn. I kinda love and I kinda hate this.

Regardless of my hate for change (yet excitement over cooler weather and fall flavors), I always love a great Labor Day party! Who doesn't? I'm not personally throwing a party this weekend (though I am attending a party at my parents house), but if I was, here's what I'd be sure to include!

Pick out some fun colors. I love oranges, pinks, greens and yellows. Some fall colors, summered up with a splash of pink or lime green.

Make farmer’s market centerpieces. Gather up some ripe peaches (it's the end of their season!) and place in wicker baskets on tables, or use small vases of fresh lemons and limes. I love anything low so it doesn't encroach on table conversation!

Mix up a signature cocktail. Beer and wine should be served, but keep costs down by eliminating hard liquor. Buy only what you need for a signature cocktail and display it prettily on a table, maybe even with a little printed table card/menu. I love anything summery, like pink cosmopolitans or a big bowl of sangria.

Make up a bunch of bright and filling dips and hors d’oeuvres. Again, no need to break the bank. A simple, summery bean dip, fruit salsa or pizza dip will do the trick. I've found all 3 of these to be serious crowd pleasers!

For the main meal station, I love this sweet menu board, borrowed from Style Me Pretty. I love this idea, especially for a larger scale party, where the hostess may not be available to explain what’s in each dish.


Serve easy dishes that can be made in advance and reheated, or can be simply made ahead and baked off before service. And when in doubt, there's always grilled burgers and corn! I'm fairly certain that no one will be turning that down. I love this jalapeno popper buffalo macaroni & cheese from Lauren's Latest. It looks unreal to me! Isn't that perfect for a party?

Make fun desserts. Everyone loves this part of a party, no? I suggest easy, grabbable desserts, like cake pops, fruit pops, brownies (like my pretzel crusted brownies, below) or bars (like my pineapple coconut dream bars!).

Wear something fun and casual, yet chic. Pair with sandals, a chunky necklace and sunglasses. I'm crushing on this necklace from Anthropologie. It would be enough to make a statement with plain white frock.

Leave guests with a delicious (and easy!) party favor. I adore this chocolate chip cookie favor idea from Intimate Weddings. It's wrapped in a paper CD case and stamped with a custom sticker. Classy enough for a wedding, but easy enough for a home party. Adorable.

So there you have it. Some easy ways to throw a chic Labor Day party!

Questions of the Day:

Are you hosting a party this weekend?

Are you happy to see the summer go? Or to see autumn approach? Or are you hanging on to hot days for dear life?

psst...head on over to The Peach and The Pit for a round up of our favorite links around the web this week! Zombie wedding photos, pretty journals, and more!

Layered Oreo Cake Bars

Hi friends!

It's Monday. I'm on detox from the weekend and I'm sadistic. It's only fair that I drag you into my masochistic ways so I'm sharing some eye candy to get you through the day. Can you handle it?

I made these yummy, decadent bars for a dinner party at my aunt's house on Friday evening. It was so fun to spend time with my Dad's side of the family, who we do not see too often (but we're trying to change this!). She has 2 little girls who have stolen both mine and Shaun's hearts since they are just about the cutest little kids ever.

I thought it only fitting to test out a recipe I've been wanting to try for a while now. I always love bringing some kind of bar to parties because I think they are easy to eat and always a crowd pleaser. These were no different. I may have eaten half a tray before I even left for the party. The cakey bar topped with a gooey Oreo layer made these one for the permanent collection.

Layered Oreo Cake Bars
*Adapted from + inspired by Picky Palate
1 box moist chocolate cake mix
1 box moist yellow cake mix
2 sticks of butter, softened
2 eggs
2 sleeves Oreo cookies, slightly crumbled (I use Double Stuff 'cuz the rock the house)
1 can sweetened condensed milk
Baking spray

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 13x9" baking pan by lining with foil and spraying all over with baking spray (I use Baker's Joy w/flour). Take out 2 mixing bowls. Place the chocolate cake mix, 1 stick of butter and 1 egg in one of the bowls. In the other, place the yellow cake mix, 1 stick of butter and 1 egg. With your hands, mix each one until the cake mix is completely moistened and a dough forms. Press the chocolate cake dough evenly into the bottom of the pan. Repeat with the yellow cake, on top of the chocolate.

Crush the Oreos; I placed them in a plastic baggie and slammed them a few times with the rolling pin. Spread over the top of the yellow cake layer. Pour the condensed milk over top of the Oreo layer. Bake for 40-45 minutes. Let cool completely. To remove from the pan, simply lift the foil and peel away from the bars. Cut into squares (I cut off the rough edges and ate most of them myself) and serve. Be prepared for them to disappear immediately.

I can think of like 1 million more combinations that would be suitable for these bars.

I can't wait to try them all.

So there you have it. Delicious, decadent, super easy cake bars that are a total crowd pleaser.

Questions of the Day:

Regular Oreos or Double Stuf? (I say Double Stuf all the way!)

Do you take part in the Monday detox? (Somehow, I always feel like I'm detoxing on Monday morning!)

psst...I'm blogging about my cousin's engagement party over on The Peach & The Pit today...check it out!